The Soul Game

by McQueen, K. T.

  ‘Why do you think I should read it?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you, sir, it’s not a great droning work of literary fiction if that’s what you’re worried about.’ She looked somewhat more serious and he glanced down at the cover for some indication of what it might be.

  ‘Okay, I’ll give it a look over dinner but I can’t promise I’ll have time to read it.’ He wondered why she thought he needed a self-help book.

  ‘No sir, whether you play or not is entirely up to you, but I’ve read it and let’s just say it’s very rewarding.’ She smiled as she went to find her seat.

  He wondered if that conversation was weirder than normal. He’d heard about students getting fixated on teachers. Sighing, he began the lecture.

  Later at his desk, his feet propped on a box of marking, his coffee balanced precariously on his diary and his dinner warming his lap, the book sat open on the desk. He could tell from the first few pages it would get out of hand, a game in a book you couldn’t talk about and a mysterious gift at the end. He’d have to hand this over to the subject leader.

  A knock on the door disturbed him and, closing the book, he turned to deal with the student’s query. By the time he was done he’d forgotten all about going to see the subject leader and left for his next lecture. He didn’t notice when he got back the book wasn’t on his desk, he just wanted to get home and sleep, it had been a long day. He grabbed his satchel and headed out to his car.

  Turning the television off he decided he should mark some work. Grabbing his satchel, he slid out the assignments. On the very top of the pile was the book. Giving it a flick through caused it to leap from his hands onto the table. Landing on the exact page he’d stopped reading earlier.

  He supposed he’d better read more to see what he was dealing with. It wasn’t something he would usually read and he was sure he wasn’t going to enjoy it. Lying out on the sofa, it wasn’t long before he was snoring away to the darkness, the page entitled Day One open on his chest. His marking forgotten.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: ABADDON

  ‘Where’s he gone?’ T.G. Master demanded. ‘How can he vanish off the face of the earth?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Stan said. ‘I sent a tracker but it seems to have been caught by that blasted cat.’

  ‘So you at least know the point where the cat got the tracker?’

  ‘Yes, and I went there, and there’s nothing,’ Stan said.

  ‘Nothing? How can there be nothing?’ T.G. Master yelled; frustration in his every move.

  ‘There was an abandoned farm house, its roof missing, its door hanging on the hinges. Windows were broken and trees growing inside. No one has lived there in an age.’ Stan said.

  ‘An illusion perhaps,’ said Dom. He looked like Gene Kelly, his dark hair slicked over from a side parting, a dapper suit, and twinkle in his deep brown eyes. Sipping from a square cut glass of amber liquid, one leg over the other, in the deep square chair.

  ‘Who could have cast an illusion I couldn’t see through?’ Stan demanded.

  He wasn’t certain about this newcomer, recently brought over to their cause. He was filled with knowledge that was closely guarded and rarely shared. Stan suspected he could solve this a lot faster than they could but that he was keeping his cards close to his chest. The damn thing was, most of the upper Demons were like this until they decided you were worthy of their knowledge. Stan, being little more than a Duke, would have to work hard to get respect. He hated having to work to get people’s respect.

  ‘Plenty.’ He uncrossed his legs and sat forward, using the drink to direct his words. ‘There are many things you are not privy to. Without T.G. you are nothing but a skivvy.’

  ‘But that’s what we’re trying to change,’ Stan said for the umpteenth time.

  ‘Do you think your plans will make everything magically the way you want it?’

  ‘No, but it will make everyone far more equal. The rules less severe, never mind the punishments for breaking them,’ Stan said.

  ‘Are you kidding me? Fights will break out, there will be wars!’ Dom laughed.

  ‘Dom! Give him a break, he knows all this. Stop using your bloody powers around him,’ T.G. Master said, chuckling.

  ‘What?’ said Stan, unaware the Demon had been doing anything to him.

  ‘Fine,’ said Dom. ‘I’ll go to this place and see if I can determine what spell or Demon is protecting the location.’ With that, he vanished, the empty glass clinking as it landed on the glass coffee table.

  ‘What power?’ Stan demanded of T.G. Master.

  But T.G. Master shook his head and waved away the question. Stan felt snubbed.

  ‘It doesn’t matter, I told you some of the higher Demons had peculiar powers. You have to be on guard around them.’ He sat down and propped his feet up on the desk. ‘We just need them on side. The more we have working with us the more chance we stand of preventing all-out war when we make our move. Which won’t be possible without that friend of yours! So, find him!’

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: ABADDON

  So many humans had begun reading the book that the number of Demons available for tracking was growing slim. Dommiel hoped the ones who’d been following the losers were being transferred to new players. Because looking at the soul store there were more than enough losers already. They had the most incredible ability to give up on an idea or task before they’d completed it. And in this instance, it meant more than just moving on to something new, it meant they lost their soul with nothing to show for it.

  Of course, he had no idea how many humans had completed the game, they got to keep their souls until they died. Much preferable he thought. He suspected the people playing the game were the ones who didn’t grasp the value of their soul, or who didn’t believe they had one.

  Humans could be so foolish sometimes. Demons at least knew the value of their soul and clung on to them for all they were worth. The chances of a Demon trading their soul was unfathomable. But then humans weren’t always the brightest matches in the book.

  He completed his checks and then went to do the review of the apprentice. The guy was doing well, if he could be just a little less eager on a morning.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE: PINK

  Joy fell laughing onto her bed. The day had been amazing. She’d completed her task without too much trouble. In fact, it had seemed like he was waiting for her to make a move and once she did he just went with it. He was so good looking. Thoughts of him doing what he’d suggested to her gave her tingles. But sadly, as lunch time ended, he’d smiled and said goodbye, going back to work and then his wife. After that, everyone who came in was so nice. Even the boss seemed to be in a great mood.

  Then, as she was leaving, she crashed into a tall blonde man outside the café. Nothing like her usual type with his stylish man bun and trimmed beard, dark jeans, and grey cable knit sweater. Something pinged between them. His blue eyes bore into hers with an intensity she’d never felt before, not even with Mike. She helped pick up the books she’d caused him to drop. Glancing at the last one before handing it over and tipping her head up to smile at him. He was reading her favourite novel. At that moment, the clouds broke and spread a beam of light across the pair. As if the heavens themselves wanted them to be there, in that moment, and make it fantastic.

  Then this kid on a bike cycled up the pavement, yelling ‘excuse me’, and forcing them to step apart. That sent them into fits of laughter and broke the spell. He gestured that he needed to get on to wherever he was going, and she smiled, nodded and went in the opposite direction. Looking back once – at the same time he did. They laughed and went on their ways.

  She felt all warm and fuzzy inside. As if the whole world had just opened and shown her what true happiness was. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR: MAËL

  Mike went to check on Joy. Hoping she was at work but when he got there she was leaving. Crashing into some bloke outside that loo
ked like he belonged on a stage reading poetry or a boat. He was certain he witnessed them having a moment but as they went off in their own directions he concluded he’d imagined it. What would Joy see in a guy like that anyway, with that man bun and beard? She’d never liked it when he’d had stubble.

  He leant against the wall on the opposite side of the road. Watching to find the Demon that would be following her and was surprised to discover it was the same one who’d been trying to break the wards around the apartment. He frowned, she hadn’t been reading the book then. Pushing off from the wall he followed the Demon following Joy.

  It was lucky the people in the street couldn’t see it. Its size meant it clawed its way along the side of buildings, wings tucked in tight or outspread for balance. Its tail lashing out and causing damage in its wake. The kind of damage the humans would put down to coincidence or clumsiness.

  It flew across the crossroads, touching down with one leg on the bonnet of a car before catching the air and forcing its way back up again. The occupants looked a little shocked as they looked at the dashboard for answers. Mike kept it in view but kept his distance. Joy was almost out of his line of site when he saw her turn into a side street. There was no way he would catch up to see if she went into any building.

  The creature eased its way around the edge of the corner brickwork, its tail catching the sign and making it swing precariously. Too much for it to have been a breeze. One or two pedestrians glanced up. No doubt their brains would provide a plausible explanation. The sun caught its features as it rounded the building. Its eyes were large, its teeth sharp, and its grin disturbing. Then it was gone from sight. Mike sped up and almost got hit in the face as it sat on a balcony, swishing its tail below. He had no choice but to pretend like he hadn’t seen it, and continue across the street. But the creature had sensed him. Turning its head this way and that, trying to find the other Demon.

  It pulsed back and forth on its perch, uncertain whether to desert its post. There was no way Mike could hang around if the Demon was that sensitive. So, with a last glance down the road, he continued up the street and caught a cab.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE: ABADDON

  The woman watched Mike leaning against the wall. No idea what he was doing here or why he was so inclined to stay in the shadows, she knew she had to track him. So, she kept her distance. Considering a shop window and sipping a cup of tea from the nearest vendor.

  She needed to be fit to do her job and spent every spare moment of every day working out. Despite her natural Demon ability to be a perfectly formed specimen, it was one thing to look good but another to have speed and stamina. And if it wasn’t a physical workout it was mental.

  She could sense the power coming from Mike. The power that smouldered below the surface, power he wasn’t even aware he had. And all he wanted was some stupid human girl and a human life. If she had to listen to Ginger go on about how great their night together was, or how much better for him she was, one more time she would strangle the bitch. Just because they had to work together didn’t mean they had to like each other. Which they didn’t. But that wouldn’t shut the stupid bitch up.

  She watched as the human woman came out of the café and crashed into the cute male. A good sturdy type, hell, she would ride him herself just for the fun of it. In fact, when she got off later she might track him down and do that. That silly human girl wouldn’t know what to do with him. Of course, she’d have to forgo eating him after, the old ones felt he was essential to the human female’s life gift.

  The Demon tracking Joy was larger than others assigned to humans playing the game. And she was sure it was different somehow, but those low Demons weren’t her concern, if she had to she could go research it later, she didn’t assign Demons their jobs so she didn’t care much for those below her. But it was behaving as if it had more will than their kind usually did. Perhaps it had a different task.

  Mike began to follow it and she waited until he had passed her before turning to follow him down the street. She looked like some kind of swanky rich bitch out shopping, it was deliberate, people would avoid looking at her too closely in case she snapped at them. It also meant she could pretty much go where she wanted and people would just move out of her way. Which was useful when you were following someone?

  The huge shades hid the eyes she couldn’t change without a glamour, and that took concentration –something she didn’t have spare right now. As she continued to track him past the Demon she noted the number of the cab before ducking into a doorway and disappearing.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX: ABADDON

  Stan lost his cool.

  ‘What do you mean he’s vanished off the face of the earth, that’s not even slightly possible!’

  The woman glowered on the other side of the desk, Stan rarely lost his temper, often finding solutions to problems that others couldn’t. But this time, even he was at a loss and the pressure was showing.

  ‘We tried his old apartment, his girlfriend, the places he sold books, and every coffee shop and bus stop along the route. Nothing,’ Leilah said. ‘We’ve tried his phone, email, everything we could possibly think of. We even have humans on the lookout for him.’

  ‘This is turning into a complete fuck up,’ Stan said, rubbing his forehead.

  ‘Agreed,’ Leilah said. ‘Now I must go report my findings to the old ones.’

  ‘Right. Thanks for helping. The old ones thought you might have a better chance at finding him if it was at all possible,’ Stan said with a tired smile. He’d hated having to go to them with this, but Dom had been useless and they had needed someone with greater skills to try to locate Mike’s hiding place.

  ‘I don’t mind getting out of the office now and then, and it is what I’m good at. Well, one of the things,’ Leilah smiled wickedly. ‘But I don’t think he’s hidden with common magic; it’ll be something old. He probably doesn’t even know about it himself.’

  ‘I guess we’ll just have to try to draw him out another way,’ Stan said. The tiredness of the last few days were starting to show on him. Leilah looked like she might be feeling a tiny little bit sorry for him.

  ‘Look, just give it some thought, you know him, I’m sure you can think of a way to find him. Stop over thinking it,’ she tapped the other side of the desk and smiled.

  ‘Maybe it’s time to consider switching sides,’ his secretary said coming in after Leilah had breezed out.

  ‘You think it’s time to switch sides? Is that what you’re going to do? No faith in me anymore?’ Stan spun to face her, eyes boring into hers.

  ‘No sir, I’m loyal to you. Whatever you choose to do I’ll gladly follow you into the flames, I was just suggesting you consider that it’s time to switch – as you always intended if it went bad. You have to protect your own place in the hierarchy.’ She grew bolder and moved towards him.

  ‘Right, my place in the hierarchy,’ Stan muttered. ‘It isn’t going badly and the benefits of continuing on this path – at least for now – outweigh the benefits of switching sides. This is just a glitch. We’ll hang in there for a while longer. Keep looking for Mike.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ She smiled and left the room.

  Stan sat back in his chair, frustrated and fed up. Where on earth could his friend go that he didn’t know about? He’d made it his business to know everything about Mike, that’s what this whole play was resting on. They’d been planning this for so long it almost felt like there wasn’t any other option. No, he was in it for the long haul, no matter what happened he would be there until the end. This was best for everyone, every single Demon. Especially him. He pressed the intercom button.

  ‘Where’s the King now?’ he was wondering if it was worth the risk of tracking him.

  ‘In his palace,’ she said. He could hear her frown as she tried to mask her curiosity. She didn’t know what was going on, she just answered the phones and ran little errands.

  ‘Ok, I’m going to go out for a few hours. Cancel anything I had for t
his afternoon.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ she said.

  He rested the phone back in its cradle and his chin in his hands pondering his next move. He’d thought he had more pull, more sway. That he and T.G. Master would rise through the ranks for pulling this off but the more help they needed from higher Demons the harder that would be.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN: MAËL

  Mike answered the phone, no longer expecting Joy to call him back.

  ‘What the hell Mike?’ she snapped. ‘How dare you send Ginger to the café to give me a message!’

  ‘I…what?’ he asked, frowning.

  ‘The stupid bitch you were cheating on me with!’ she all but screamed. ‘And I go to your apartment and you have yet another woman in there. What are you? A sex worker?’

  Mike was stunned. This was a side of Joy he’d never known before. He couldn’t find the words to answer her.

  ‘What woman?’ he wasn’t sure what else to say.

  ‘Well hell, I didn’t ask her name!’ Joy was not going to calm down. ‘Some stupid brunette in long boots. Is she your pimp!?’

  ‘I don’t know who that is. She was in my apartment?’ He was frowning, trying to think who it could have been.

  ‘Right in there, looking rather pissed off herself I might add.’ She paused. ‘It looked like you’d moved out.’